About Us

About the Akron Symphony Orchestra

The Akron Symphony enriches the lives of audiences, musicians, and our community through exceptional symphonic music, and meaningful, collaborative and educational programming that welcomes, connects, and engages a broad and diverse regional community. Learn more about us below.

Administrative Staff

Board of Trustees

Executive Officers

President Tom Crookes, Attorney, Retired
Vice President Alex Quay Attorney, Brouse McDowell
Secretary Theresa Petit-Lerner Accountant, National Machine Company
Treasurer Andrew Ziegler, SVP, Commercial Team Leader, Farmers National Bank
Artistic Advisory Chair Tom Crookes, Attorney, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease
Development Chair Lia Evans Jones, Senior Vice President and Senior Fiduciary Strategist, Keybank
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Chair Thomas A. Jefferson, Ph.D. Career Academy Liaison & Coordinator of Special Projects, Akron Children’s Hospital

Education Chair Adam Lintz Insurance Brokerage Service Director, Schauer Group
Finance Chair Andrew Ziegler, VP, Commercial Relationship Manager, Fifth Third Bank
Marketing Chair Steve Sedlock, Marketing & Communications, Huntington Bank
Friends of the Akron Symphony Pat Nilsestuen
Strategic Planning Task Force Chair Tom Crookes, Attorney, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease
Orchestra Committee Chair Jack Kehrli
Music Director Christopher Wilkins
Executive Director Paul Jarrett

Trustees

Kittie B. Clarke Retired
Tom Crookes Attorney, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease
Heather Hahn Small Business Owner/Consultant
Silas Hite Composer
Thomas Hite Producer, SeibertKeck
Thomas A. Jefferson, Ph.D. Career Academy Liaison & Coordinator of Special Projects, Akron Children’s Hospital
Lia Evans Jones Senior Vice President and Senior Fiduciary Strategist, Keybank
Geraldine Wojno Kiefer, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Art, Shenandoah University
Andrew Leask Director, Marketing, United Way of Summit & Medina
Adam Lintz, Insurance Brokerage Service Director, Schauer Group
Ivana Medukic Art Consulting Director, WellHaus Art Consulting LLC
Charles A. Nelson President and CEO, Nelson Development Ltd
Pat Nilsestuen Retired, commercial printing & graphic arts
Bonnie Panlasigui President, Summa Health, Akron & Barberton
Theresa Petit-Lerner Accountant, National Machine Company
Alex Quay Attorney, Buckingham
George Rosin Attorney, Law Office of George H. Rosin, LLC
Elizabeth Saraceno Owner, Saraceno Consulting
Steve Sedlock Marketing & Communications, Huntington Bank
Mike Sferro Towpath Credit Union
Jeana Singleton Brennan Manna and Diamond, LLC
Eda Valentin Director of PLM, Shearer’s Foods
Andrew Ziegler SVP, Commercial Team Leader, Farmers National Bank

Trustee Emeriti

Norman P. Auburn, Ph.D. *
Robert S. Crawford *
J. Ralph Gillman *
Sue Jeppesen Gillman
Mabel Lamborn Graham *
Jane Kaufman *
Edward J. Metzger
Bruce F. Rothmann, M.D. *

Trustee of Note

Olive Cairns *
William & Margaret Denton *
Dorothy Gaylord *
Ida Grotz *
Joseph S. Lichty, M.D. *
Gerald McFadden*
Lola M. Rothmann*
Dorothy Seeger *
Irene Shadley *
Charles K. Sorkin *
Mary Louise Stewart *
Helen M. Vawter*

GAMA Foundation Board of Trustees

Tom Clark, President Wells Fargo
Tracy Dowe City President, Fifth Third Bank
Bruce Fahey Attorney, Retired Shareholder Reminger
Richard Harris Brouse McDowell
Mike Pasternak Retired, Ernst & Young
Charlie Peter Retired, Ophthalmologist 
Todd Rosenberg Retired, FedEx
David Scarponi President, Scarponi Textiles & Akron Polychem
Donna Valentine Retired, FirstEnergy Foundation

Board Alumni Council

Dr. Linda B. Angotti
Mark S. Auburn
Sandy Becker-Neidert
Dr. Todd Beyer
Susan Burnoski, CPA
Lisa Chapman-Smith
Thomas J. Clark, CFP
Robert L. Culp Jr.
R. Fred Damerow
Richard Dee
Tracy Dowe
William D. Dowling
Bruce Fahey
Jerilynn Ferguson
Sandra Fishel
Robert Frutchey
Dr. William K. Guegold
DuWayne Hansen
Richard H. Harris
Dr. Sandra Hazra, M.D.
Robert L. Hunt Sr.
Jerry Irby
Mary Ann Jackson
Melissa Johnson
Jessica Korkosz Korzhiletskiy
Quinnie Lane
Kathleen Leigh Lewarchick
Dave Leiberth
Jan E. Litz, CMA
Jason Lorenzon
Diana D. Maurer
William N. Melver
Melodie Morgan-Minott
Charles Myricks, Jr.
Dave Nelson
Jo Ann Oelschlager
Bryon Palitto
Michael J. Pasternak
Charles A. Peter, M.D.
Lucia M. Pileggi
Guy Pipitone
Renée Pipitone
Ernest E. Pouttu
Terri L. Nass Reeder
Kurt Reed
Charles J. Reitz III
Todd J. Rosenberg
George H. Rosin
Dr. Walter Ruf
David Scarponi
Sally Schneider
David M. Sinar
André Thornton Jr.
Dr. Ann Usher
Donna Valentine
Theresse Wade
Donna Zabel
James E. Zwisler

+ chorus co-representative
++ guild representative
+++orchestra representative
*deceased